The UK’s first two Career Colleges for 14-19 year olds have been given the go-ahead to open their doors to students in September 2014. Oldham College in Greater Manchester will be opening a Career College specialising in Creative and Digital Arts and Hugh Baird College in Bootle, Liverpool will focus on the Hospitality and Catering Industry.
Both Colleges have strong support from local industry . Several employers have helped design the curriculum of each Career College and will very much be part of the delivery – offering relevant work experience, placements and mentoring to students.
The Career Colleges Trust has granted licences for the two Colleges to open, following an intensive approval process. A further seven Colleges including Birmingham Metropolitan College and City of Oxford College are working towards approval and hope to open in 2015.
Career Colleges
Career Colleges, launched by Lord Baker last year, are a new innovation in employer-led education. They take advantage of the Government’s decision to allow FE colleges to recruit at 14 – increasing the range and choice of opportunities for 14-19 year olds. A Career College provides the opportunity to combine academic and vocational studies within a specific industry specialism, improving career prospects for young people in the local labour market.
Each Career College is supported by employers, who will help design and deliver the curriculum. Alongside rigorous academic teaching in maths, English and other core subjects, Career Colleges will offer ‘real-world’ challenges, coupled with work experience – enabling students to develop their wider employability skills.
Chairman of the Career Colleges Trust, Luke Johnson, commented:
“Career Colleges provide young people with the opportunity to develop life-skills and gain practical experience within a specific industry – alongside a rigorous academic education. This is essential in today’s world, where we see so many skills gaps, yet still suffer from high youth unemployment. As a business owner myself, I know employers need young people to be ready for work, and able to adapt to the workplace. Career Colleges will help arm them with this essential know how.
“The Career Colleges at Oldham and Hugh Baird represent very different industries – Catering & Hospitality, and Digital & Creative Arts. Not only does this demonstrate the diverse nature of our innovative educational concept, but it highlights the different employer/industry requirements in various areas. Career Colleges are, quite rightly, led by employer demand.”
Yana Williams, Principal of Hugh Baird College, said:
“We want to offer educational choices to young people in Bootle and across the Liverpool City Region that equip them with life skills and prepare them for work while also ensuring they have a sound academic grounding. The Visitor Economy has been identified by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as a key growth area with a range of employment opportunities for our learners.
“By focussing our Career College on the hospitality and catering industry, we are confident that we will help to ensure that employers’ needs are fulfilled in future years with highly skilled, work ready individuals with a clear understanding of the sector and employer expectations.
“Providing skills-based training for 14-19 year olds can help motivate young people and re-engage those who may have become disinterested with the wholly academic focus at many schools. We have already filled our Year 10 cohort for this coming September, demonstrating the support and need for Hugh Baird’s Career College.”
For more information about Career Colleges click here